On September 28, 2024, at 2:45 AM CEST, Germany faced Greece in the UEFA Nations League group stage matchday 2 at home. Ahead of the match, German defender Jonathan Tah attended a press conference. This article covers the opening section of that press conference.

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Since you mentioned the Olympics, could you elaborate on that experience firsthand, especially considering the home Euros two years ago?

At that moment, Klopp, who had just left the press conference, suddenly returned and interjected: "If the lads don't perform well tomorrow, all my hair that's grown back will start falling out again."

Looks like he said what he needed to say (laughs). So as a player, what does it mean to you to experience a major sporting event at home in front of your fans every four years?

Yes, being part of such an event is an incredibly special privilege. I've had that privilege, and I think you can only truly understand what it means to have the fans' support and the entire nation backing you if you experience it directly. The intense emotions that surge in those moments can only be felt when you're actually there. So yes, it's truly an incredible and special thing. Therefore, whichever city ultimately bids for or competes for these events, we will support the bidding party, while at the same time staying focused on football itself.

Jonathan, after the World Cup, the coaching staff changes meant the team naturally went through a restructuring, and many new faces joined the squad. Now that you've played your first match, how well do you feel you've all adapted heading into this first home game?

We… yes, we haven't had much time, but I think, as everyone feels, the positive energy that the manager and the entire coaching staff have brought has been tremendously helpful to us. This naturally created a good environment for the new players, allowing us to start this new journey with a positive mindset. The key is performing on the pitch and doing our best for the German national team, but also genuinely feeling joy in the process. And the manager, with his rich experience, has instilled this joy and passion in all the players, which is really exciting and enjoyable. We haven't spent much time together on the training ground yet, but I think this is a very good start.

Jonathan, you should explain this hairline issue that Klopp just mentioned. You have full hair, and while Turkish Airlines—Turkish hair transplant clinics—haven't called me yet, they might soon (laughs). But I have a second question as well…

I hope they don't call you. Unfortunately, I can't reveal the specific details about that…

So we have to figure it out ourselves?

You'll have to investigate yourselves. Let's see how much information you can uncover. Anyway, we need to be careful about leaks…

I have another question about a moment from the match that really went viral online—about the gesture Jürgen Klopp made. I wanted to ask him earlier but didn't get the chance. He seemed to make just one gesture, and it immediately triggered the entire team to launch a coordinated high press. Was that purely coincidental, or does the manager actually have clear tactical signals or hand gestures that everyone follows in unison? It looked like a perfectly orchestrated orchestra. So in actual matches, who sets the tempo and conducts the rhythm? Is it you as a defensive leader, or the forwards, or the midfielders?

Honestly, I haven't seen that moment yet. But as I explained earlier, Jürgen Klopp, as everyone knows, is a very passionate manager who constantly stands on the sideline directing with high energy, and this tremendously boosts the morale of our entire team. But this is also something we practice repeatedly in training every day—finding the right moment to press and how we can all move forward and press intensely together.

Of course, when I'm in the back line, this signal to some extent starts with me and gets communicated to the forwards. But conversely, the press can also start with the forwards, and we support and cover from defense. Ultimately, what matters most is that our entire team is synchronized and executing the same tactical system—pressing the opponent hard. Yes, while it's nice to hear that it looked like a perfectly orchestrated orchestra, I don't think it was intentionally choreographed that way in advance.

Jonathan, we've noticed that media focus is mostly on the manager. While you players aren't exactly ignored by the press, public attention is really concentrated on Jürgen Klopp. Does this help you in any way? After all, unlike the World Cup, when the media scrutinized the team intensely, you're not under the absolute spotlight…

Yes, ultimately it's still us players who step on the pitch and play. We must execute what the manager demands on the pitch. So I can't say with absolute certainty… I understand why the manager receives a lot of media attention, but the responsibility to execute the tactics on the pitch still falls to us players. It's us who have to perform in the end.

You've played under Löw, Flick, and Nagelsmann at the national team level. What do you think is distinctly different about Klopp?

Yes, I prefer not to compare them directly because every manager has his own unique coaching style and philosophy. But I have to say that what Jürgen Klopp brings—his tremendously rich coaching experience combined with fun, passion, and an absolute desire to win—creates a unique charisma, and the way he motivates and inspires the entire team is truly special.

I think after the first team meeting, all the players left thinking: "Alright, now we're going through hardship together!"Yes, he has a special ability to ignite the fighting spirit of the entire team, which has been well proven throughout his managerial career. I think this is one of the key reasons for his success, because he's truly, really exceptional at unlocking his team's potential.

AI 번역.

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